New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Odyparnassus’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘Odyparnassus’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and vigorous growth habit; freely branching and freely flowering habit; dark green-colored foliage; large, rounded, pink-colored flowers; and flowers that are positioned above or beyond the foliage.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Odyparnassus’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Odyparnassus’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create New Guinea Impatiens with large flowers,attractive flower coloration, good postproduction longevity and droughttolerance.

The new New Guinea Impatiens originated from a cross-pollinationconducted in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands on May 16, 2001 of a proprietaryselection of New Guinea Impatiens identified as code number 99023, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofNew Guinea Impatiens identified as code number 99015, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent, The cultivar Odyparnassus was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, TheNetherlands on Sep. 30, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings inAalsmeer, The Netherlands since Feb. 17, 2002, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Odyparnassus’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Odyparnassus’ as a new and distinctImpatiens cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and vigorous growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored foliage.    -   4. Large, rounded, pink-colored flowers.    -   5. Flowers that are positioned above or beyond the foliage.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventorin Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, plants of the new Impatiens differed fromplants of the female parent selection primarily in flower coloration asplants of the female parent selection had red-colored flowers. Inaddition plants of the new Impatiens had smaller leaves than plants ofthe female parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor inAalsmeer, The Netherlands, plants of the new Impatiens differed fromplants of the male parent selection primarily in flower coloration asplants of the male parent selection had pink and white bi-coloredflowers.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Neptis, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,321. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, TheNetherlands, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of thecultivar Neptis in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were not as broad as plants of        the cultivar Neptis.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had shorter internodes than        plants of the cultivar Neptis.    -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens had narrower leaves with smaller        petioles than plants of the cultivar Neptis.    -   4. Plants of the new Impatiens were more freely flowering than        plants of the cultivar Neptis.    -   5. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Neptis differed        in flower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Odyparnassus’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Odyparnassus has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown during the fall in De Kwakel, The Netherlands,under commercial production practice in a glass-covered greenhouse.Rooted young plants were planted in 13-cm containers and theaforementioned photograph and following observations and measurementswere taken about 14 weeks later. During the production of the plants,day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels were about200 W/m². In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Odyparnassus.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number 99023, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number 99015, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 8 to 9 days at 18° C. to 22°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 16 days at            18° C. to 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright, outwardly spreading and            vigorous plant growth habit; freely branching and freely            flowering habit.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: About seven. Length:            About 11 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Internode length: About            4 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146A            blushed with close to 183A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite or in whorls.            Length: About 11 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Lanceolate.            Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrulate with            ciliation. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: 147C blushed with close            to 183A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than            139A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 139C blushed            with close to 183A. Venation, upper surface: 181B. Venation,            lower surface: 183B. Petiole: Length: About 2 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 183A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single, large, flat,            rounded, pink-colored flowers. Freely and continuously            flowering; usually about six flowers per lateral branch.            Flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage; flowers            typically face parallel to the leaf canopy. Petals not            persistent; gynoecium persistent. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant.        -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions.            Plants begin flowering about ten weeks after planting.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: 45A.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 5 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower, imbricate. Length: About            3.5 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate to cordate.            Apex: Emarginate. Base: Cuneate to obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.            Color: When opening, upper surface: 55C. When opening, lower            surface: 55C and 41C. Fully opened, upper surface: 55C;            stripes upper banner splotch and eye, 51A to 51B. Fully            opened, lower surface: 55C and 41C.        -   Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: About 5 cm.            Diameter: At apex: About 1 mm. At flower: About 1.3 mm.            Aspect: Curved. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 55C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: Two per flower. Length: About 1 cm. Width:            About 5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A            blushed with 183A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible.            Color: 139D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused            at anthers, hooded; filaments free. Anther length: About            5 mm. Anther shape: Oval. Anther color: 4C. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 4D. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma            shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 62A. Style color: 59A. Ovary:            Five-celled. Ovary color: Close to 146A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from 8° C. to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named‘Odyparnassus’, as illustrated and described.